Prince Charles has firmly denied that he was behind the infamous alleged comment about the colour of Archie Mountbatten-Windsor’s skin back in 2018.
His denial comes after a new book suggested that the future king asked Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex what their children would look like.
A spokesperson for the Prince of Wales told the New York post “this is fiction and not worth further comment” when it ran the story.
Charles certainly isn’t the first royal to be accused of being behind the comment, which came to light in Harry and Meghan’s bombshell Oprah Winfrey interview.
But what do we actually know about the allegedly “racist” quip from an unnamed senior royal? Keep reading for all the details.
What was the ‘racist’ royal comment?
During their sit-down chat with Oprah, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex suggested that they had faced racism while working as senior royals, some of it directed at their unborn son.
“In those months, when I was pregnant, all around this same time, we had in tandem the conversation of he won’t be given security, he won’t be given a title … and also concerns and conversations about how dark his skin will be when he’s born,” Meghan revealed.
Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex claimed a senior royal made a racist remark about the colour of Archie’s skin.
(Getty)“That was relayed to me from Harry, that was from conversations that family had with him. It was really hard to see those as compartmentalised conversations.”
Her claim sent shockwaves around the world, sparking speculation about which senior royal could have been behind the alleged racist question about Archie’s appearance.
It was later claimed in the royal biography Finding Freedom, by Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand, that the couple considered naming the royal but decided against it.
“I think it would be very damaging to them,” Meghan supposedly told Oprah, according to the book.
When the talk show host asked Harry for more details, he reportedly replied: “That conversation I’m never going to share, but at the time, it was awkward; I was a bit shocked.”
The book also claims that the couple confirmed it was not the Queen or her late husband Prince Philip who had made the remarks.
Harry and Meghan have repeatedly denied any involvement with the biography, however recent court statements suggest the couple did engage with the authors to some degree.
Which royal asked ‘how dark’ Archie’s skin would be?
To this day, no member of the royal family has publicly taken ownership of the alleged remark, with several royals denying it was them.
Prince Charles was the most recent royal to distance himself from the comment, a spokesperson saying claims that he asked ‘how dark’ Archie would be were “total fiction”.
Brothers And Wives: Inside The Private Lives of William, Kate, Harry and Meghan by Christopher Andersen claimed the remark was made in 2017, on the day of Harry and Meghan’s engagement.
Prince Charles has denied claims he was behind the comment.
(Getty)The book claims Charles commented to Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall: “I wonder what the children will look like? … what do you think their children’s complexion might be?”
Charles has denied there is any truth to the book’s claims, and numerous outlets previously reported that the Queen and Prince Philip were not behind the remark either.
In a statement released in the wake of the TV interview, the Queen said she was “saddened” to learn of any alleged racist attitudes.
“The whole family is saddened to learn the full extent of how challenging the last few years have been for Harry and Meghan,” the statement read.
“The issues raised, particularly that of race, are concerning. Whilst some recollections may vary, they are taken very seriously and will be addressed by the family privately.
“Harry, Meghan and Archie will always be much-loved family members.”
Prince William never responded to claims about the comment specifically, but did deny claims that the royal family is in any way racist.
“We’re very much not a racist family,” he told reporters while on a royal outing days after the Oprah interview aired.
Earlier this year, several outlets reported that Princess Anne was behind the comment but that there was a “misunderstanding” over it.
British socialite and royal author Lady Colin Campbell addressed the racist remark, saying: “I know who it is – I’ve known for a little while who it is.”
She then named the Princess Royal, but claimed that her comments and conversations were “twisted” and that Anne was only ever voicing concern about how Meghan would adapt to life within the monarchy.
Princess Anne did not publicly respond to Lady Colin’s claims.
